[Chapter 3]

“This is your house?” Mr Alister asks in awe as he parks his car.

I nod without a word. He’s seriously asked that nearly 5 times and it’s getting on my nerves. If he doesn’t shut up soon I’m going to have to kill him… not really, relax. I’ll get Drew to do it.

The car rolls to a stop but neither of us make a move to leave. The silence is thick and heavy around us but we don’t break it. I don’t want to break it, strange, I know but it makes my head feel heavy and butterflies to push around in my stomach. Being nervous is something completely new to me, but I don’t know what people are talking about when they say they hate it. I couldn’t love it anymore, it feels like magic.

He’s the one to break the silence, “Where are your parents?” He asks.

I sigh and feel him watching the side of my face but I don’t catch his eyes, “They could be anywhere.” It’s true. One time they called up and said that they were coming home from France. Seriously!? They didn’t even think to take me, to a place I’ve always dreamed to go.

He places a hand on my shoulder, what feels like fire rolls over my skin but doesn’t burn me. I turn to meet his dark brown eyes. We just stare at each other without a word but the silence isn’t thick this time, instead it’s thin and makes it hard to breathe. Out of the blue I get the same feelings I got yesterday when I was looking at Byron, except this time I don’t act on it and push his hand away. With a thin tight smile I leave the car reluctantly, it smelt just like Mr Alister.

I walk up the steps of the house and unlock the door, walking into the cold house. I shake and my teeth chatter as I move throughout the house, to the big wood fire. With shaking hands and a light head I try to start the fire. I feel Mr Alister’s presence behind me, watching, but I continue trying. After a few more tries it finally roars to life and lights the room with a warm glow.

I sit down by the fire for a minute or two, soaking up the warmth before the phone starts ringing on the hook. I groan and walk into the kitchen, Mr Alister following my every move. “You don’t need to follow me everywhere, I’m sure I can make it to the kitchen.” I say but he doesn’t answer.

I pick up the phone angrily without looking at the caller ID. “Reign, it’s me.” A rough voice says on the other side of the phone.

“What do you want dad?” I ask, angry and hurt at the same time. I’d never admit this to anyone but it really hurts me that my parents don’t care about me, the never have. I was raised since day 1 by nannies and baby sitters.

“That’s no way to talk to your father!” He screams back through the phone and Mr Alister raises an eyebrow at me.

I square my chin, “No, dad, it’s not.” I pause to take a calming breath, “Where are you?”

“We’re in Sydney for a business meeting.” He says, “Not that it matters or anything.”

I hear someone else talking to him but I continue talking through the phone, “You missed my competition.”

“Yeah? What one?” He says, half-heartedly while he chats to the other person.

“My running one dad, it’s always running.” I sigh, lowering my head and turning my back to Mr Alister so he can’t see my disappointment.

“How’d you come?” Like he cares.

“First.”

“Aha that’s too bad,” He says and my fury rises, “I’ve got to go. Bye.” He says so fast and hangs up before I can get a word in.

I squeeze the phone tightly in my hand until I hear a snap, hoping it was the phone. With a pump of frustration I throw the phone at the opposite wall, on impact it shatters into a million pieces. Mr Alister walks up and places a hand on my shoulder but I shake it off. I don’t need anyone’s pity.

My lips start to shake but I hold the tears in, I’m not weak, and definitely not over my dad. He doesn’t care about me so I shouldn’t care about him. With clenched teeth I storm upstairs and slam my bedroom door shut, pieces of wood fly off but I don’t care, not anymore.

[Owen Alister’s P.O.V]

The door slams shut loudly. Who knew one boy had so much anger in him, I feel sorry for him, I really do… but I can’t help him. I’m a teacher and he’s my student. Sure, I can help him with small things like homework but this is something I can’t help him with, he has to work with this on his own. I shouldn’t even be here looking after him but there was no way I was going to leave him on his own with a concussion.

Sighing I run a hand down my face, when I became a teacher this wasn’t what I thought would come out of it. The first moment I saw Reign today I just thought he was a show off troublemaker but that isn’t the case, it’s not his fault. It’s his parents. Maybe if they were actually around he wouldn’t be like this.

I walk back into the living room and flick on the TV but I don’t concentrate on watching it, my mind’s wondering too much. Earlier today Reign had told me not to ask about him and the nurse and it’s been getting at me ever since. When I first met her the nurse was nice and genuinely happy but the minute she saw him in her office she completely flipped. At first I thought she was just in a bad mood but obviously it was something to do with the boy upstairs.

~@~

A whole hour passes before Reign finally leaves his room. He walks down stairs with dripping wet dirty blonde hair around his face. I hadn’t realised I was staring until he says, “Take a picture, it lasts longer.” He shakes his head and walks off; I don’t fail to notice the small smile playing at his lips. This boy will be the death of me I swear.

[Reign’s P.O.V]

I could feel him watching me as I walked off and all I couldn’t suppress the smile. I don’t know where I was walking but I end up in the kitchen, kneeling down in front of the phone. I pick up the broken pieces in my hand and throw them away in the garbage.

I walk up to the kitchen window and stare out at the sinking sun, all different colours run through the sky like paint, from a calm blue to a blood red. I sigh and move away, sunsets have always made me feel better, the fact that they see everything but are always so beautiful.

There’s a knock at the door but I don’t make a move to get it, already knowing who it is. The door slams open and they come running in. “Drew’s in the house!” He yells, running into the kitchen and pulling me into a massive hug, “You survived detention!”

“Yeah,” I say, out of breath, “Let. Go.” I manage and he sits me down.

“Sorry.” He lies, there’s no way he’s really sorry.

“Yeah, yeah. Save it for the judge.”

Floyd walks in and pats me on the shoulder while Drew starts talking my ear off about some food fight he started at a diner, but I don’t listen to his words. Instead I look past his shoulder as Mr Alister walks in slowly, leaning quietly against the door frame with a small smile that lights up his eyes.

“Guy’s,” I say, cutting Drew off midsentence. They look at me with full attention and I nod towards the open doorway. They follow my gesture and look at Mr Alister standing there relaxed.

“Who’s he and why’s he in your house?” Drew asks, glaring at him.

“That’s Mr Alister, my maths teacher.” I say, trying not to laugh at how weird that sounds.

Drew turns to me with wide eyes and takes me by the shoulders, shaking me. “You nerd! You don’t bring maths home with you!” He screams, making me and everyone on the block deaf.

I laugh and shake my head. “He’s taking care of me until my concussion goes.”

“Oh okay that’s all right I suppose. Just…” He releases me and points a warning finger at Mr Alister, “no funny math moves, you hear me?”

Mr Alister nods, finding all of this funny. Floyd speaks up, “How’d you get a concussion?” He asks, truly concerned and even Drew stops and turns his undivided attention to me.

“I just bumped my head on a counter at the party, nothing really.” I say with a small shrug. I’m just as surprised; who could have known that would cause a concussion. Although getting punched in the eye couldn’t have helped in any way.

Come to think of it, where are my sun glasses? That evil nurse stole them. “That bitch.” I whisper to myself.

Floyd and Drew overhear, “What?” They ask at the same time, laughing.

“She stole my sunglasses.” I say.

“Who?”

“The evil nurse.”

“Oh, she’s still alive?” Drew asks, glaring at nothing in particular.

I nod, “She still hasn’t gotten over it.” 

We all laugh, remembering what we did to piss her off. Well, everyone but Mr Alister laugh.

He crosses his arms over his chest with a raised eyebrow and I know that when these two leave he’s going to be asking a lot of questions, but you know what, no matter how hot he may be…and yes, I think he’s hot… I won’t be telling him.

“So, Mr Alister…” Floyd says, turning to him, “Do you have any hidden talents?”

That seems to make Mr Alister stand straighter and walk further into the kitchen. “Actually yes, I’ve been cooking since I was a kid so I’m pretty good at that.”

Drew perks up. “Ooh, show us!” He yells, jumping and clapping, “Show us now!”

Mr Alister laughs and for a moment I freeze stiff, his laugh is the most amazing thing that I’ve ever heard. It’s light but deep and echoes through the room, lifting any trace of tension.

The doorbell rings and I snap out of my little day dream. “I’ll get it.” I move off while Floyd and Drew beg Mr Alister to cook something for them.

I open the door to reveal a bruised and beaten Byron. I look behind me to make sure no one’s there before taking his hand and dragging him up to my room, being careful when I pass by the open kitchen.

I close my bedroom door behind me and spin on him, “What the hell happened to you?!” I whisper loudly.

“Tex and his two friends.” He says so quietly in a voice that’s about to break.

A rage fire up in me that I’ve never felt before, “Where are they?” I ask through set teeth, slowly clenching and unclenching my hand.

He looks down, noticing my trouble and takes my hand in his, tingles making it impossible to clench them. “It’s okay; I didn’t come here for you to beat up someone.” My whole body relaxes.

“Then what did you come here for?” I ask without a clue.

“I need somewhere to stay and you were the first person I could think of.” He looks down, embarrassed.

I pull my hand away from his and he looks hurt for a moment before I place it under his chin and pull his head up. He watches me closely as I bring my other hand and trace the foul bruises that mark his face. The same feeling to kiss him washes over me but somehow I can’t bring myself to do it.

Mr Alister appears in my mind, bringing me back to my senses. I blink a few times to clear my mind, before releasing Byron. He looks disappointed and lowers his head again to hide it but it’s too late, I already saw and it’s making me feel worse by the second.

“How about I make it so the bruises aren’t noticeable, yeah?” I ask and he nods.

I sigh and take his hand, squeezing it gently but he doesn’t squeeze it back. What have I done? I really like this boy that’s holding my hand, yet I really like the teacher downstairs. The one that I can’t have, he’s absolutely off limits yet that doesn’t seem to bother me. In fact it makes it all more worthwhile. It would be a rush having a boyfriend that’s also your teacher.

Yet at the same time another part of me is saying that I don’t want that, I want to have an open relationship where we can be seen together and not have to worry. Someone that I can freely hold in my arms and kiss but I know I can’t have that either. Doing that would only hurt Byron and myself. If my dad found out he’d kill me and him and then we’d just be dead. There’d be no happy ever after. And I can’t do that to Byron, I really care about him and since I care about him the least I can do is let him have an open relationship with someone.

I pull him silently into my mum and dad’s bathroom and place him sitting down on the edge of the bath. I feel his eyes on me as I rummage through draw after draw until I find what I need. I turn around and hold it in my hands. My mum’s makeup bag.

He sits quiet and still as I move towards him and place the bag by his feet. I move down onto my knees in front of him and pull out something that looks like it could cover them up. I’ve watched my mum put her make up on plenty of times but I never bothered to learn what they were called.

I put a little onto my finger and as gently as I can rub it onto Byron’s skin. He winces every so often but doesn’t stop me. He watches my face closely like he did in my room and I meet his eyes with a small smile. He smiles back and beneath the makeup his cheeks turn red. I laugh quietly and he slaps me gently on the chest with a pout that just makes me laugh more until I remember the reason why I’m doing this. Tex.

He can never take a clue to leave the poor boy alone, Byron has never hurt another soul and it doesn’t look like ever could so Tex needs to lay off. Or I’ll make him lay off. I may not be with Byron but that doesn’t mean I don’t care for him, I want him to be safe and happy but he seems unable when Tex and his dogs are hurting him and I have a feeling this isn’t the first time there’ve done it. That thought just angers me more to the point where it’s too much.

I quickly finish it up and then move back, looking at his face. I nod happily, there are still some slight patches of purple and blue around his cheeks and his face is slightly swollen but he looks much better than before.

“I think you’re done.” I say, pulling him up to the mirror.

He stares at himself without a look while I pack up and put away mums make up. When I turn back to facing him he’s smiling and gives me a hug. “Thanks so much.” He says and I swear he’s almost crying.

I stand awkwardly with my arms out behind him, unsure of what to do but eventually melt and wrap my arms around him. He snuggles his face into the side of my neck, his warm breath against my naked skin. ‘This is something I want.’ I think to myself and pull him closer to me.

Eventually after a while we pull apart, yelling and bangs going on below us. I sigh, Drew. Is all I can think of.

“Come on.” I say, taking his hand and leading him out.

[Mr Alister’s P.O.V]

I stand quietly cooking the spaghetti that I was forced to make, while if I remember clearly is Drew bashes pots and pans together. I have no idea where Reign went but right now I can’t go to look for him.

His other friend, Floyd sits on a stool in the corner reading a magazine in silence. I shake my head and am about to turn back to the food when Reign walks back into the kitchen except he’s not alone. He’s holding a boy behind him, the one I saw him talking to at lunch today. My heart stings slightly for a reason I’m not sure of. I can’t be…Jealous, can I?

“Drew cut that out, my dad nearly killed us all when you did that last time!” Reign shouts over the banging and Drew stops.

They walk up to me once Drew’s put the pans back. “This is Byron.” He tells me, not looking me in the eyes. I hold my hand out to Byron and he releases Reign’s in order to shake it. I smile to myself.

“Nice to meet you Byron, I’m Mr Alister but out of school I’m just Owen.” I say, looking at Reign when I say the last part and even though I know he can feel me looking at him he doesn’t face me. “Anyway I was just cooking some spaghetti. Would you like some?”

He nods without a word, so he’s a quiet one. That’s good I guess. Reign walks away again and comes back with a set of 5 plates and forks. He passes me one at a time and I dish them up into the bowls and hand them around. Soon we’re all sitting at the table with a bowl in front of us.

[Reign’s P.O.V]

I look around the table awkwardly; a tension hangs above our heads like a knife but ‘Owen’ and I seem to be the only ones that can feel. We look across the table at each other, neither of us eating but neither of us saying anything. I don’t know what he’s trying to do here but whatever it is it’s making me extremely uncomfortable.

Finally we break eye contact and start to eat but the knife stays perfectly balanced above our heads. I nearly moan in pleasure with the first mouthful I eat. He definitely put something in it that makes it so much better and I can’t even deny that he’s a good cook.

I eat mouthful after mouthful until it’s all gone. That would have had to be the most awkward dinner yet and I’ve been to hundreds of different ones with my dad.

Everyone finishes but no one breaks the silence, not even Drew. Eventually I have enough and stand up. I collect the dishes quickly and walk back into the kitchen. While the sink fills with hot water I think about the party at school on Friday night, hoping that somehow I’ll be with Mr Alister.

I guess I can finally accept that I want to be with Mr Alister, but that I never can. As long as I can just see him I’ll be happy enough. After all I am his student and he’d never like me, I’m just a kid to him. But one can only hope, right?

Once the sink is filled I slowly wash the dishes, enjoying the silence until someone walks in. I turn back to see that it’s Mr Alister standing by the counter with a soft look on his face. “You’re different to what I first thought.” He says and for the time being I stop washing.

“What did you first think?” I ask and go back to washing like I don’t really care. In fact I really want to know what he thought of me.

“That you were a troublemaker with nothing better to do then turn up late and think you were better than everyone else.” He says honestly, walking further into the room.

“Yeah?” I say, “What do you think of me now?”

“I think you’re just a boy learning to fit in by yourself,” He says like he’s some professional.

“Well for starters,” I say, spinning around and pointing and finger at him, “You don’t know me and you’ve got it all wrong. What you first thought of me is more correct then your second.”

He shakes his head and moves even closer, I swallow and my hand drops to my side, “I don’t think it is, because if it was you wouldn’t have bothered to go up to Byron at lunch time or bothered in cleaning him up.”

My eyebrows crease, “How did you know?”

“I saw the bruises on his face when he walked past and I’ve had a girlfriend before, I know what makeup looks like.” He laughs lightly.

It’s so silly but a heat rises in me when he mentions that he’s had a girlfriend, of course he has. It’s stupid of me to even think that he hasn’t been with anyone before.

“Whatever.” I say, no longer interested in the conversation. “I have to finish the dishes.”

“Well then I’ll help you.” He picks up a towel and begins to dry them and we finish the rest in silence.

I take them and put them back in their spot and we move into the living room where the other 3 boys sit, watching a movie. Drew and Floyd each have a lounge chair to themselves which leaves the couch for the rest of us. Byron turns around and jumps when he notices us standing there. I laugh slightly and take a seat beside him, Mr Alister sitting on the other side of me, eyes locked on the TV.

Their watching a horror movie, that much is obvious as there’s women and kids being killed and torn to pieces. I watch the film but nothing registers in my mind, not with these two sitting beside me. I swallow nervously and snap out of it, watching the film best I can.

There’s a part where someone comes out of nowhere and Byron screams and jumps, landing on my lap. I laugh at him but hold him to me as he snuggles his face into my chest, no longer watching the film. I feel three sets of eyes watching me but don’t meet any of them. Eventually Drew and Floyd go back to watching but Mr Alister stays with his eyes locked on the side of my face.

Not long after Byron moves off and lies down with his head in my lap, watching the film again. I run my fingers through his soft hair without realising but don’t stop even when I do. Every now and again he jumps and I feel his heart beat rise before slowly going back to normal.

What seems like hours later the movie finally finishes, but no one moves from their seat. Floyd looks at me with a smirk and Drew looks at me with a raised eyebrow but I don’t meet Mr Alister’s look, for fear that I won’t like it.

Floyd moves to look at the clock and rubs his eyes. “I’ve got to get home before my mum comes back and sees that I ditched.” He says, standing up and moving towards the door.

“You I better go too, I was supposed to be babysitting.” Drew says, following Floyd.

“Please don’t tell me you dropped Anika off with your neighbour.” I say, already knowing the answer.

He turns towards me with a guilty look, “Yeah.”

I just laugh and shake my head, “Okay, bye.”

The door closes softly on their way out and I look down at a sleeping Byron, a smile spreading across my face.

“You don’t have to hide it you know.” Mr Alister says so softly I nearly miss it.

“Hide what?” I ask, finally for the first time since the movie started I look at him.

“Your feelings for him.” He says like it’s obvious.

“I don’t have feelings for him, not anymore.” I sigh looking away, “I like someone else.”

“Well why don’t you tell them.” I look up to meet his eyes, wishing that what he said was that easy.

“They don’t like me.”

“How can you be so sure?” He replies, trying to help but in fact making it that much worse. “If you haven’t asked?”

“I just know and even if they did they can’t be with me.” The painful truth.

“If they really liked you then they wouldn’t care what others have to say and they’d do it anyway.”

I nod, not up to this anymore. “I’m gonna go to sleep now, I’ll show you the guest bedroom if you’re staying?” I ask, unsure if he was.

He nods, “I’ll stay just in case.”

I lift Byron into my arms and carry him carefully, he moves and groans in his sleep but doesn’t wake. Walking this far was easy until I get to the stairs. I hold my grip tighter and walk up slowly, Mr Alister right behind me in case we were to fall.

I make it to the top safely and walk down the hallway. I point to the door across from mine, it’s right in there. “Thanks.” He says, walking in but he turns back before he closes the door, “Good night.”

I smile slightly with my back to him, “Night.”

His door closes softly and I open my bedroom door with a struggle and close it loudly by accident. “Sorry.” I whisper to Byron even though he still sleeps peacefully and can’t hear me.

As gently as I can I lay him on my bed. Unsure of how he sleeps I just remove his shoes and jeans that don’t look comfy to sleep in, luckily he’s wearing boxers. I pull out the blanket and put it over him, he snuggles into it. I smirk down at him before moving off but I don’t get far before his hand shoots out and grabs mine.

I stop and turn around to face a now awake Byron. His eyes are wide and scared. “What are you doing?” He asks.

“I’m going to bed.” I say.

“How when I’m in your bed?” He asks, his voice shaky.

“I’m going to sleep on the couch.”

“Please don’t leave me, stay in here.” He says, moving over to make room for me.

I sigh, ready to say that I shouldn’t when I notice how scared he looks and I can’t bring myself to say it. “Fine.” I peel off my shoes and my own jeans and join him.

At first we lay there in the small bed without touching, scared that the other person will react badly but eventually it becomes uncomfortable nearly falling off the bed and I move in closer. I can’t see his face in the dark but I’m pretty sure he’s shocked. I can’t stand being this close without touching him, I know I told Mr Alister that I didn’t like him anymore but really I just lied.

I shock us both when I wrap my arm around him and pull us closer together, our faces are so close together that his breath fans across my face every time he breathes. His breaths begin to come out faster and deeper and I find myself unable to hold back any longer.

I lean in closer until out noses are touching and don’t stop until our lips meet. We freeze with our lips together before we finally begin to move them in sync, the taste of cinnamon exploding in my mouth. I pull him closer until our bodies are together and run my tongue over his bottom lip, asking for entrance. He’s reluctant to give it to me but after a few more times of asking he finally opens his mouth to me and I explore every inch I can, never wanting this moment to end. Out of breath and tired we break the kiss but stay close together. As I listen to the beat of Byron’s heart and the sound of his breathing my mind wonders. I’m wasting my time on Mr Alister and I really do like Byron, so to save my heart the trouble I’m going to love him.